Footwear



Patented A... 30,1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHA'UNCEY C. LOOMIS OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, AND HEN RY W. BANKS, 31), F NOBO- TON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE HEVEA CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK,

No Drawing. Application filed May 10,

This invention relates to footwear, and has for its object to provide a practical way to sole or resole shoes or the like, with a leather substitute which exhibits Water-resisting qualities equal to or greater than those of leather; which possesses the unique quality of being attachable to the shoe without sewing or nailing, and which, consequently, can be utilized by the average person unskilled in the shoemakers trade.

The invention comprehends a method of producing a shoe or similar article of footwear, carrying the new sole characterized in the preceding paragraph, and includes also the completed article that results from the actice of the method.

An illustrative description of the invention is as follows. l'Ve may begin with a shoe that is substantially complete, except that it is minus an outsole. In such case the insole will ordinarily be somewhat roughened (at least it will not be too smooth for the purposes of my invention) on its outer surface. If it should happen that it is too smooth, it may be slightly roughened by scoring or abrading, in any suitable way. The'invention is, however, equally applicable to worn shoes, for instance, a shoe whose outsole has been worn through at one or more places. In such case the out-sole may be removed, or it ma be left in place and suitably roughened or the attachment of the repair or restoration sole as h'ereinafterset forth.

The repair or substitute out-sole, may be produced by providing an aqueous emulsion of rubber, or a quantity of rubber latex, suitably compounded with a dry mix including say 80% of fibrous asbestos and 20% 40 of desired pigment. 65 parts by wei ht of the dry mix are brought together wit sufficient of the emulsion or latex to approximate, say, 35 parts by weight of dry rubber.

We prefer to add also a small amount of sodium silicate, and, if'desired, sulphur and an ultra catalyst.

The composition of matter made up as FOOTWEAR.

1924. Serial No. 712,436.

above suggested, should have the consistency of cream cheese, and in use is merely spread on the leather surface to the desired thickness, the edges of the layer trimmed, and the shoe left in a suitable place until the layer has set sufliciently and proper adhesion thereof to the leather surface has been accomplished. Thereupon, the shoe may be worn, and it will be found that the out-sole will give excellent wear.

We consider that one of the important features of the composition which we employ and which adapts it particularly for 60 use with sole leather, is the use of the aqueous emulsion of rubber, or the rubber latex. This we believe is one of the reasons why we are enabled to apply a single thick layer, which in its subsequent coagulation or 55 setting in situ becomes a homogeneous coherent mass, unusually adhesive with respect to the leather surface. The extraordinary adhesive quality we believe to be at least in part due to the presence of water in the emulsion or in the latex, which possibly facilitates penetration of the leather by the rubber particles held in suspension.

The reason for the presence of a filler, such as asbestos, is of course obvious. This added filler, however, makes it necessary to provide in some way for substantially preventing coagulation of the composition until such time as it is to be actually used. Latex as it is transported in bulk is ordinarily treated with ammonia, which has the effect of preserving the natural protective colloids. However w en a considerable body of a foreign substance like asbestos is added to the latex, there is a new condition. Much of the water of the latex is taken up by the asbestos, and the integrity of the natural protective colloids is impaired, if not dc stroyed. Therefore, we conceived the idea of supplying additional protective colloid content, so that the composition, which is the basis of our invention, may be shipped and handled in bulk substantially without danger of deterioration, especially in so far as the matter of coagulation is concerned.

Andwe selected as the added protective colloid, sodium silicate, for the reason that we believed (and the results seem to justify the belief) that sodium silicate not only functions as a creases the adhesiveness of the composition Y to a leather solei1 stantial barrier between the openin of the leather and the rubber articles w ch, for the best results, should e entered into the openings of the leather. Very likely it is.

a fact that by mixing the sodium silicate through the mass of the composition we efiect a compromise, and obtain to a. considerable degree the enetrative qualities of the water and the adhesive qualities of the sodium silicate, while incidentally securing the protective efiects of the silicate. There is possiblyan additional advantage in that sodium sllicate is non-organic, and there-.

fore perhaps the less subject .to decomposition or chemical change harmful to the mass. Furthermore, though the silicate is water soluble, this does not aflect the penetration of the leather to an injurious extent, while of course the mass of the layer insures the retention of the silicate, with its'adhesive efiects within the mass and especially as regards its binding efii'ect on the filler.

.The/ suggested addition of .vulcanizing agents may be omitted, though a. artial .cure of the sole may in some cases e desirable. a

It is to be understood that the foregoing description, involving particular materials,

proportions, and sequences of operations, is

merely illustrative, and that no limitations upon the scope of the claims are intended thereby, except such as are roperly deducible from the language of e appended claims.

We claim: r v 1. In combinatioma shoe sole, and a supplemental sole adhesively joined thereto, comprising a layer of a composition includm an aqueous emulsion of rubber intimate y mixed with a filler, said layer .being in direct contact with the sole and having a merged-surface relation therewith. 2. In combination, a shoe sole, and a sup plemental sole adhesively joined thereto, comprising a layer of a composition includrotective colloid, but ine and possibly also makes enetrate the leather so' well as the water oes, and presents a subing an aqueous emulsion of rubber with a filler and anadded protective/colloid, all intimately mixed, said layer being in direct contact with the sole and having a mergedsurface relation therewith.

3. In combination, a shoe sole, and a sup-' plemental sole adhesively joined thereto, comprising a layer of a composition includin an aqueous emulsion of rubber with a.

er and an added protective-colloid-adhesi-ve, all intimately mixed, said layer being in direct contact with the sole and having a merged-surface relation therewith.

4. In combination, a shoe sole, and a supplemental sole adhesively joined thereto,

comprising a layer of a composition including an aqueous emulsion of rubber with a filler and an added non-organic protective colloid, all intimately mixed, said layer being in direct contact with the sole and having a merged-surface relation therewith,

5. In combination, a shoe sole, and a supplemental sole adhesively joined thereto, comprising alayer of a composition includin an aqueous emulsion of rubber with a filfiar and sodium silicate, all intimately mixed, said layer being in direct contact with the soleand having a merged-surface relation therewith.

I 6. In combination, a shoe sole, and a supplemental sole adhesively joined thereto, comprising a layer of a composition includin an aqueous emulsion of rubber with a fil er and a pigment, all intimately mixed, said layer being in direct contact with the sole and having a merged-surface relation therewith. I v

7. In combination, .a shoe sole, and a supplemental sole adhesively joined thereto,

comprising a layer of a composition includin an aqueous emulsion of rubber with a filer and a vulcanizing agent, all intimately mixed, said layer being in direct, contact with the sole and having a mergedi'surface" v relation therewith.

8.-The method of outsolin .a shoe which comprises applying to the so exof the shoe a layer of ,a composition that includesa rubber emulsion and a filler, all intimately,

mixed, and allowing coagulation of the emulsion to take place in situ, with conse-' quent adhesion of the layer to the'sole.

9. The method of outsoling a shoe which comprises applyin to the Soleof the shoe a layer'of a composition that includes arubber emulsion, a filler, and aprotective colloid, all intimately mixed, and allowing coagulation of" the emulsion to take place in situ with consequent adhesion of the layer to the sole.

10. The method of outsoling a shoe which comprises applying to the-sole of the shoe a layer of a composition that includes a rubber emulsion, a filler, and a non-organic protective colloid, all intimately mixed and allowing coagulation of the emulsion to take agulation of the emulsion to take lace in place in situ, with consequent adhesion of situ with consequent adhesion of e layer the layer to the sole. to the sole.

11. The method of outsolin a shoe which In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- 3 comprises applying to the so e of the shoe, tures. j I

a, layer of a composition that includes a rubber emulsion; a filler, and sodiumsili- IENRY W. BANKS 8n. cate, all intimately mixed, and allowing co- GHAUNOEY c. Looms. 

